Chapter 338

• Aria’s POV
• The forest roared around us, alive with snapping branches, jagged roots, and the coppery tang of blood and fear. My lungs screamed, my legs burned, and yet Sia surged beneath my skin, coiling and stretching with raw power, pushing me faster than I thought humanly—or wolfishly—possible. Lucien was beside me, every muscle taut, his golden eyes scanning the shadows with predatory precision. His scent poured into the air, a fierce, golden blaze that made Sia roar in recognition and hunger.
• Behind us, the Western Pack’s pursuit was relentless. Growls cut through the night, paws pummeling the earth, scents thick and bitter, trailing like a curse. Every step I took, I could feel their desire for blood closing the distance. And yet, weaving through the chaos, I sensed the faint ripples of magic in the air. Maeryn. Silent, unseen, she bent the forest to our favor—fallen trees tripping our pursuers, roots twisting to delay them, mist rising to cloud their vision. Without her, we wouldn’t have survived the first ten minutes.